Greg was appointed by President George W. Bush as the nation’s first Assistant Secretary for Cyber Security and Communications at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security from 2006-2008, where he led the National Cyber Security Division, the National Communications System and the Office of Emergency Communications. Under Greg’s leadership, DHS was a key driver in developing the Bush Administration’s Comprehensive National Cyber Security Initiative (HSPD 23), the National Emergency Communications Plan, and the precursor to what is now the National Cyber and Communications Integration Center (NCCIC). He also served on the House Science Committee staff where he shepherded enactment of the Cyber Security R&D Act of 2002. Greg led advocacy efforts for many high technology organizations including the Information Technology Association of America, American Electronics Association, and as the chief lobbyist for 3Com Corporation, a Silicon Valley computer and communications networking company. He is a member of the Information Security and Privacy Advisory Board, a federal advisory committee, and has occupied advisory board positions with high tech startups.

With 30 years of accomplishments in Washington and Silicon Valley, Greg is a recognized leader of numerous policy wins for coalitions, trade associations and government initiatives on cyber security, encryption, international trade, export controls and critical infrastructure protection. He has helped effect change as a government relations executive for high technology and financial services; Congressional committee staff; industry spokesman; and as a presidential appointee to Assistant Secretary for the Department of Homeland Security. Greg leverages a perspective and strategic approach that speaks to the unique motivations and objectives of critical stakeholders in the policy process.

Prior to joining McBee Strategies in 2015, Greg was the executive director of the Financial Services Sector Coordinating Council (FSSCC), an official industry partner to the government, developing policy and operational strategy for the security and resiliency of the financial system against cyber-attacks and other threats. Before that, Greg was a senior executive leading Bank of America’s external strategy for cyber security and identity management until December 2011.

The Art of Workforce Development

Across pockets of the Bluegrass State, kids of all ages are delving into cool, project-based learning designed to build a future workforce that embraces technology in every facet of corporate growth. [View full story at The Lane Report]

Kentucky’s new Education and Workforce Development Secretary brings both an entrepreneurial background and a school choice advocate’s perspective to the job. And Hal Heiner hopes to push the cabinet to move faster than ever before in preparing students to fuel future growth in the state’s economy.

The Louisville businessman and former Republican gubernatorial candidate appeared on KET’s “One to One” to discuss education issues and Gov. Matt Bevin’s plan to expand workforce training opportunities. [View full story at Insider Louisville]

A Rising Call to Promote STEM Education and Cut Liberal Arts Funding

When the Kentucky governor, Matt Bevin, suggested last month that students majoring in French literature should not receive state funding for their college education, he joined a growing number of elected officials who want to nudge students away from the humanities and toward more job-friendly subjects like electrical engineering. [View full story at The New York Times]

Cyberstates 2016 Report

As TALK is a member of CompTIA and TECNA, please find an interesting Cyberstates report released in March 2016: The 17th annual edition of Cyberstates provides a state-by-state analysis of the size and scope of the U.S. tech industry and tech workforce. [View Report]